Statement from Minister Blaney to Launch Fraud Prevention Month

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - March 3, 2014) - The Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, today issued the following statement to mark the launch of Fraud Prevention Month.

"Our Government is keeping Canadians safe, and protecting our economy from organized criminal activity. In recent years, our Government has funded and announced a variety of initiatives to counter fraud.

Sadly, financial crime is something that will affect many Canadians in their lifetime. Numerous criminal groups across Canada are involved in a wide range of economic crime, including identify theft, credit card fraud, insurance fraud, telemarketing fraud, securities and stock market fraud, and counterfeiting. These groups operate domestically and internationally to access more victims and lessen chances of detection.

One of the major ways Canadians are targeted for fraud is through their mobile devices. Today, mobile phones are used for far more than talking: people use them to go online just as they would a computer, laptop or tablet. Not surprisingly, smartphones are quickly becoming more susceptible to attacks and fraud from the same kind of predators that target larger devices.

Fraud Prevention Month is an opportunity to become better educated on how to avoid falling victim to fraud. We encourage all Canadians to take advantage of excellent resources from GetCyberSafe.ca, the Competition Bureau, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, and the RCMP. Together, we can all play an active part in recognizing, reporting, and stopping fraud."